July 25, 2015

Back to Hobbiton

Tolkien began rewriting his Hobbit sequel from the beginning deciding upon a somewhat simpler story of Bilbo disappearing at the party and leaving the ring with Bingo. There are added snippets of conversation between Bilbo and Gandalf about his plan (taking place outside of Bag End in Bilbo's magnificent garden!). Gandalf not necessary on board with Bilbo's full plan.

After he disappears there is added detail before he sets off--Bilbo's gathering of old treasures: such as a weather stained and mended traveling cloak; clearly kept from his original adventure. At Bag End four Dwarves await Bilbo: Lofar, Nar, Anar, and Hannar. Christopher Tolkien noted that his father took these names from the Elder Edda as he did for the company of Dwarves in The Hobbit.

Gandalf arrives before Bilbo departs, none too pleased at the joke, and insisting that Bilbo leave the ring for Bingo. While Bilbo says he finds it difficult to leave the ring there is no dramatic tension between he and Gandalf.

Bilbo departs and Gandalf stays just long enough to exhort Bingo to keep the ring secret. As he left "...Bingo thought the wizard looked rather bent, almost as if bowed under a heavy burden" (p. 243, The Return of the Shadow). Clearly Tolkien is ramping up the tension of the story from where he first began.

One final note: in these jottings and writings the beloved Sam Gamgee makes his first appearance in the story.

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